Mount Magazine fall 2021

FALL 2021

Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D. Keep Moving Forward

Connect @MSMUniversity @mountstmarysu @MSMU @Mount St. Mary’s University @MSMU @MSMU @Mount St. Mary’s University Share your memories with us.

Tag #MountProud in your posts for a chance to be featured on the Mount’s website or social media platforms.

“He was a good man, a good coach who was chosen.

God chose him to open the doors at Mount St. Mary’s to make it a culturally diversified school.”

FRED CARTER, C’69 SPEAKING AT THE FUNERAL MASS FOR COACH JIM PHELAN

Dear Alumni, Parents & Friends, SOME MAY HAVE WORRIED that the power of the university’s motto, Spes Nostra,

Our Hope, would dim without the golden statue of the Blessed Mother watching over us all day, every day while she is being repaired. I assure you that Mary remains in our hearts and continues to be Our Hope, helping to move the university forward.

In this issue, you will read about some of the ways Mount St. Mary’s is gaining momentum in spreading hope and goodness by delivering on our mission statement of “graduating ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service to God and others.”

Through a partnership between the university and Frederick Health, a stateof-the-art healthcare facility is being built on campus that will serve not only Mount students but also the northern Frederick community. As Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner noted at the recent groundbreaking ceremony, the Mount soon can be proud to have a cutting-edge student health center on campus even though we do not have a medical school. Just as significantly, the partnership extends the service aspect of our mission by ensuring that local residents have access to quality healthcare services, as detailed on page 6.

Turn to pages 12-13 to learn how the Mount’s newest alumni are beginning their lives of significance by studying ocean sciences to preserve the environment, applying ethical and moral knowledge as an accountant, using collaboration skills in a graduate chemical and biological sciences program, and more.

Faculty, administrators and staff work every day to ensure that students succeed academically. Providing support throughout students’ academic journey is the Department of Learning Services, whose programs include peer tutoring, disability services and a mentorship program. Go to page 16 to read about Learning Services’ caring and highly capable staff, who focus on empowering the human person.

A profile of a graduate of the accelerated undergraduate program demonstrates the power of a Mount education (see page 19). Michael Tomlin, C’20, enrolled at the Mount in 2016, nine years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Choosing to continue his education helped him to earn two promotions at Wells Fargo, counteract the cognitive symptoms of MS and spur his volunteer efforts with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as an advocate, fund raiser and cyclist. In completing 11 100-mile rides, Tomlin has raised $32,648 for Bike MS! Mount Executive Vice President Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D., also turned his passion for pedaling into an opportunity to raise funds for a cause in which he believes—the renovation and expansion of the Coad Science Building. In completing a 4,017 mile, 62 day bike trip across America over the summer, Sheetz raised more than $65,000 for the science building, and came back to campus filled with hope for the future.

He found reinforcement of Spes Nostra in generous support and encouragement from students, alumni and other friends of the Mount before, during and after the journey; in our country’s beauty; and in the wonderful people he and his wife Lori met along the way. In “Our Hope for the Future,” starting on page 20, he writes that he hopes that “each of us can pause from the digital firehose we subject ourselves to every day and recognize the kind and compassionate people from all walks of life and all corners of the land.” Go Mount!

TIMOTHY E. TRAINOR, PH.D. President 4

MOUNT MAGAZINE FALL 2021

Mount Magazine

Fall 2021 PRESIDENT Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D.

VP UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Robert J. Brennan, C’85 VP ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Jack Chielli MANAGING EDITOR Donna Klinger EDITOR Nicole Patterson COPY EDITOR Joe Paciella, C’03, MBA’11 WRITERS Donna Klinger Nicole Patterson Stephen Schwing, C'92 Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D. ALUMNI NEWS TEAM Kim Johnson, MBA’18 Emily Myers, C’13, MBA’15 PHOTOGRAPHY Isabella Laurel Tom Lesser Mike Miller, Ph.D. Michael Miville of MM Visuals Paige Roberts, C'21 DESIGN Laura C. Moyer SPECIAL THANK YOU Jessica J. Boyer, C’16 PRINTING HBP Inc. STAY CONNECTED Mount Magazine Mount St. Mary’s University 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road Emmitsburg, MD 21727 301-447-5366 themagazine@msmary.edu msmary.edu/magazine Change of address? Email advancementservices@msmary.edu

The Office of University Marketing & Communications publishes Mount Magazine two times a year for alumni, parents and friends of Mount St. Mary’s University. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not specifically represent opinions of the magazine staff or the university. Reader responses and alumni contributions are welcome. The Mount reserves the right to refuse or revise comments or contributions for style and length.

FCS logo here

Cover Story Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D. page 20

Contents Features A TRIBUTE TO JIM PHELAN The Legend LEARNING SERVICES Student Success MORE THAN A DEGREE A Purposeful Education OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Keep Moving Forward

Mount Magazine MOUNT NEWS 6 New Healthcare Facility 7 New Faculty Make an Impact on Students’ Lives 8 Professor Publications 10 Meet the New Deans 11 Our Blessed Mother’s Landmark Statue Restoration 12 The Class of 2021 Student Outcomes ALUMNI NEWS CLASS NOTES IN MEMORIAM

FALL 2021 MOUNT MAGAZINE

5

Mount News 4 A3

SIDE ELEVATION 1/8" = 1'-0"

8

SCALE

4

0

4

8

12

16

FEET

Frederick Health and Mount St. Mary’s Partner on New Healthcare Facility FREDERICK HEALTH AND MOUNT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSIT Y broke ground on a new cutting-edge healthcare facility on Old Emmitsburg Road in the green space across from Public Safety in October. This facility will provide local care to residents of the area, staff and students.

bring needed healthcare services to northern Frederick through this healthcare facility,” Trainor continued.

The Mount is partnering with Frederick Health to establish the Emmitsburg Wellness Pavilion that will be the university's new and enhanced student health center.

Frederick Health healthcare providers will serve Mount students and residents of Northern Frederick County.

Focusing on prevention, treatment and the overall wellness of the community, the facility will provide a wide range of healthcare services. The development and construction of this facility will continue to improve access to quality, awardwinning care in the northern parts of Frederick County.

Mount St. Mary’s first entered into a strategic healthcare partnership with Frederick Health in 2018, allowing for expansion and improvement of health and wellness services for students and student-athletes. “We have been very pleased with our partnership, which has become even stronger during the pandemic and was a major factor in our ability to have students living and learning on campus last year,” said Mount St. Mary’s President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D.

“The construction of the new Emmitsburg facility is yet another way of increasing access to quality care provided

by Frederick Health. These kinds of improvements help our neighbors and community grow healthier together,” said Tom Kleinhanzl, president & CEO of Frederick Health.

“As part of our commitment to our students and the local community’s health and well-being, the partnership has evolved to further improve services to our students and help

6

MOUNT NEWS FALL 2021

The facility is expected to open to the public by June 2022.

It will be the 23rd facility within Frederick Health’s expanding network.

“Bringing care to residents of the northern part of Frederick County is extremely important. As our county continues to grow, we must ensure that all Frederick County residents can receive quality medical treatment,” added Kleinhanzl.

FREDERICK HEALTH HOSPITAL

New Faculty Set to Make an Impact on Students’ Lives MOUNT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY EMMITSBURG, MARYLAND 21727

© COPYRIGHT 2020 PROFFITT & ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

OUTPATIENT FACILITY AT

NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR:

PROVOST BOYD CREASMAN, PH.D., spoke glowingly of Mount St. Mary’s eight new faculty members and visiting Fulbright Scholar.

“Clearly, we had a great recruiting year,” he said. “These faculty are capable of making a tremendous impact on our students’ lives for years to come.”

Creasman continued: “This group of faculty brings an incredible amount of talent and diverse experiences and backgrounds.

They also have demonstrated a studentcentered approach to teaching with a commitment to creating undergraduate ISSUE research opportunities.”

REV DATE DESCRIPTION

Over the past two years, the Office of Equity and Success and Human Resources Office have worked to apply a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) perspective to the hiring and recruitment process in order for faculty and staff ranks to more closely mirror the demographics of the student body. This year the university far surpassed its goal of hiring PROJECT NO.: 19-21.01 DATE: 12 / 31 / 2020 one Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS faculty for this academic year and two more BIPOC faculty within two years.

A3

“Of the eight new faculty members and a visiting Fulbright Scholar who we have welcomed to campus this fall, five are wonderfully accomplished BIPOC individuals,” said President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. Most of the new faculty will teach in the School of Natural Science and Mathematics (SNSM). “The SNSM has experienced tremendous growth over the last several years. Our new faculty will be instrumental in expanding our existing programming and creating new opportunities for student success,” said SNSM Dean Christine McCauslin, Ph.D. “I am thrilled to welcome this outstanding group to the Mount.”

To meet the demand in the computer science and cybersecurity majors, the Mount hired two new faculty to teach in these programs. Daniel Salinas Duron, Ph.D., comes to the Mount from Westminster College of Salt Lake City, having earned his doctorate from Montana State University. His position is funded in part by an E-Nnovation grant from the state

of Maryland. Ruth Lamprecht, Ph.D., joins the Mount after teaching computer science and mathematics for several years at Virginia Union University.

She earned her doctorate at the College of William and Mary.

The Department of Science has hired an outstanding group of faculty. Mount alumnus Eric Sakowski, Ph.D., C’08, moves into a tenure-track position after serving as a visiting assistant professor last year. He earned his doctorate at the University of Delaware and recently published an article in the prestigious journal Nature Microbiology. Rachel Hartnett, Ph.D., who earned her doctorate at the University of Oklahoma and was a CAS Diversity Postdoctoral Fellow at Oklahoma State University, will teach environmental science. Kari Taylor-Burt, Ph.D., will teach anatomy and physiology.

She completed her doctorate at Harvard University in 2020 and served last year as a post-doctoral researcher at Franklin and Marshall College. Katana Ngala, Ph.D., has joined the department as a visiting assistant professor of chemistry.

He holds a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the State University of New York, Binghamton and will teach in the general chemistry sequence.

Minxaun He, Ph.D., is the newest member of the Department of Psychology.

A recent Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Maryland, she earned her doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley.

Kalfani Turé, Ph.D., is the Mount’s new assistant professor of African-American studies. He joins the university after serving as a postdoctoral associate at Yale University and completing his doctorate at American University with a focus on race, place, urban crime and urban ethnography. He is a former Atlanta police officer.

Daniel Salinas Duron, Ph.D.

Ruth Lamprecht, Ph.D.

Eric Sakowski, Ph.D., C’08

Rachel Hartnett, Ph.D.

Kari Taylor-Burt, Ph.D.

Katana Ngala, Ph.D.

Minxaun He, Ph.D.

Kalfani Turé, Ph.D.

Finally, Cyrelene Amoah-Boampong, Ph.D., is a Fulbright Scholar-inResidence from Ghana. She earned a doctorate in historical studies at Southern Illinois University and has worked at the University of Ghana in several roles. In addition to teaching, she will consult with university administrators and faculty on international programming and the diversification of core offerings.

Cyrelene Amoah-Boampong, Ph.D.

FALL 2021 MOUNT NEWS

7

MSMU Professor Publications

See what Mount faculty have been writing as they inspire their students to learn voraciously.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY & DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMPETITIVE FELLOWSHIPS JAMIE GIANOUTSOS, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR & CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN SERVICES JOHN “JACK” TRAMMELL, PH.D.

The Rule of Manhood: Tyranny, Gender, and Classical Republicanism in England, 1603-1660

Civil War Richmond: The Last Citadel (Brief History)

(Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History)

8

MOUNT NEWS FALL 2021

C o-authored with Guy Terrell

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY JOSHUA BROWN, PH.D. Balthasar in Light of Early Confucianism Transcendence and Non-Naturalism in Early Chinese Thought C o-authored with Alexus McLeod

PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY WILLIAM COLLINGE, PH.D. Historical Dictionary of Catholicism (Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series)

RICHARD J. BOLTE, SR. SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

DEAN OF THE RICHARD J. BOLTE, SR. SCHOOL OF BUSINESS JOHN NAURIGHT, PH.D. The Routledge Handbook of Global Sport Co-edited with Sarah Zipp

DIRECTOR OF ESPORTS & ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY RUSSELL HAMER, PH.D. Understanding Kierkegaard’s Parables

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND DELIVERY AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION LAURA CORBIN FRAZIER, ED.D. UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR BARBARA PALMER, PH.D. “Presenting K-12 Educators with the Knowledge Needed to Navigate the “ New Norm” of Online Learning Environments,” K-12 Online Learning E-Book Collection, IGI Global, 2020

PROFESSOR OF HISTORY CURT JOHNSON, PH.D. The Power of Mammon: The Market, Secularization, and New York State Baptists, 1790-1922

SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS

PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY & DIRECTOR OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS ADVISING PATRICIA J. KREKE, PH.D. Engaging Students in Organic Chemistry Co-authored with Barbara Murray, Ph.D.

FALL 2021 MOUNT NEWS

9

Meet the New Deans CHRISTINE SEITZ McCAUSLIN, PH.D. Within six months of the appointment of Christine Seitz McCauslin, Ph.D., as interim dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics (SNSM), it was clear that she was the right person for the position on a permanent basis. McCauslin, who previously was chair of the Department of Science for more than five years and joined the faculty in 2004, was named in an interim capacity when Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D., became executive vice president in January 2021.

“Christine has shown impressive leadership skills and will continue to build the programming, partnerships and experiences that make our SNSM students extremely competitive for job and graduate school opportunities,” said President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. “She not only brings extensive institutional knowledge to her new role but also a record of working collaboratively and across disciplines to achieve strategic initiatives focused on student success.”

McCauslin became dean as the university plans to break ground next summer on an expansion of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics facilities, made necessary by pressing needs for additional academic space on campus due to overall student enrollment growth, increased interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors and the addition of crossdisciplinary programs. The $4.1 million addition to the Coad Science Building will include new classrooms, laboratories, “classatories,” offices, and collaborative meeting space to enhance the student learning environment.

The number of students majoring in programs within the SNSM has increased more than 30% over the last four years, due in part to the launch of three new flagship programs: cybersecurity, data science and neuroscience.

“We are fortunate to have experienced tremendous growth in the School of Natural Science and Mathematics over the last several years thanks to the hard work of our students, faculty and staff,” McCauslin said. “It is an honor to work with this outstanding group, and I look forward to the road ahead as we build on our trajectory of success and gain recognition as a leading STEM educator whose graduates are highly sought after and prepared to make a positive impact on the world.”

1 0

MOUNT NEWS FALL 2021

Mount St. Mary’s University has two new deans in academic year 2021-22, one filled by an internal leader and the other tapped from a national search.

JOHN NAURIGHT, PH.D. Following a national search, John Nauright, Ph.D., joined the Mount in June as dean of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business. He brings to the Mount deep experience in developing and leading innovative business programs both in the United States and internationally.

Nauright came to the Mount from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania where he served as dean of the Stephen Poorman College of Business, Information Systems and Human Services and director of the Clearfield Campus. At Lock Haven he created multiple external partnerships, including with Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club of the Premier League in England; Preservation Pennsylvania; and Higher Digital, LLC. “We are excited to see the business school grow and form more partnerships with area, national and international businesses that foster student success,” Trainor said. “John’s wealth of experience in both traditional and adult education, and years of leadership on multi-campus universities will be invaluable to the Mount as we continue to expand our offerings both in Emmitsburg and Frederick.”

Nauright seeks to shape the Bolte School into a national and international leader in business education and the role of business in social and economic transformation. “I am thrilled to join the team at the Mount as we continue to develop incredible opportunities for both traditional on-campus students and accelerated undergraduate and continuing education students,” Nauright said. “The vision, ethical values and approach to educating the whole person at the Mount is crucial to individual success and to the future of our society and the world.”

Nauright came to the Mount as the Knott Academic Center expansion and renovation moves into high gear. The project, funded by a state grant and generous donations from the Bolte Family Foundation and Raphael Della Ratta, C’92, includes construction of an approximately 15,000 square foot addition and renovation of the 49,074 square foot existing building.

The upgrade includes enhancing the learning environment and building new classrooms, a Bloomberg Classroom Laboratory and faculty offices. The university also now offers its MBA program both in person and fully online.

The former vice president of the Dallas Jackals of Major League Rugby, Nauright has worked in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Barbados, Denmark and Scotland.

Our Blessed Mother’s Landmark Statue

Gold-leafed statue has watched over campus for 57 years

Restoration in Progress

Corrosion of statue's interior structural steel supports

THANKS TO OVERWHELMING GENEROSIT Y during our fall 2020 campaign, we began the process to regild our National Shrine Grotto’s iconic and beloved statue of Mary. As the scaffolding went up, engineers unexpectedly discovered the statue’s interior structural steel supports were corroded. The beautiful statue had to be removed from the bell tower and is currently undergoing this vital restoration. The process is costly and will take several months, but once she returns, Our Lady of Grace will be set securely atop the Pangborn Campanille for decades to come as a motherly presence for our community and the surrounding area.

More information

Sr. Louis Marie de Montfort reverently touches Mary's hand

Pray for this effort, learn more and give at msmary.edu/restoremary.

FALL 2021 MOUNT NEWS

11

Class of 2021

GRADUATION FROM THE MOUNT marks the end of being a student and the beginning of being part of a network of more than 18,000 alumni. Get to know some of the newest members of this group—the Class of 2021.

ELIZABETH CABRAL Hometown: Irvine, California Majors: Business and Communication Graduate School: Pursuing a Master of Science in Project Management at Catholic University of America

JULIA BAER Hometown: Emmitsburg, Maryland Majors: Biology and Chemistry Graduate School: Pursuing a Master of Science and Doctorate in Ocean Sciences at University of California Santa Cruz “When I look toward my future, I hope to live a life of significance by preserving the environment in my career and being a friend and resource to those around me. I think the Mount community has prepared me to fulfill both of these roles.”

ELENA RITTIE Hometown: Reisterstown, Maryland Major: Business Minors: Accounting and Theatre Graduate School: Pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Mount St. Mary's University and Graduate Assistant in the Office of Student Life “I chose the Mount for the same reason many other people do: the people. The amount of love and support I have been shown throughout my four years is unparalleled and has truly helped form me into the person I am today.”

1 2

MOUNT NEWS FALL 2021

“I chose the Mount because I felt at home the first time I walked on campus. I felt like I was already a part of the Mount’s family and I felt that the faculty truly cared about their students and wanted them to succeed. I knew at that moment I belonged at the Mount.”

SEWA GUNN Hometown: Germantown, Maryland Majors: International Studies and Political Science Graduate School: Pursuing a Master of Legal Studies at American University Washington College of Law “My most meaningful experience at the Mount was ultimately coming to understand the mission and purpose of the school. The attention to faith, respect and proper action permeates the culture of the school.

Spes Nostra indeed.”

JOCELYN CASTILLO Hometown: Frederick, Maryland Major: Accounting Employer: Linton, Shafer, Warfield & Garrett as a Staff Accountant “My most meaningful experience was being part of the Mount's Honors Program because it helped me become a better student with a stronger desire to learn. The Mount has equipped me for post-college with ethical and moral knowledge that will help me become a trusted leader for my community.”

ALEJANDRA PITI-MESA Hometown: Hyattsville, Maryland Majors: Chemistry and Biochemistry Minor: Mathematics Graduate School: Gap year “My liberal arts education at the Mount not only gave me a push start into my career, , but offered a well-rounded education through core classes that taught me about philosophy, theology and world history. I now know a little bit about everything, and it has expanded my knowledge and curiosity.”

KERRI CZEKNER Hometown: Bensalem, Pennsylvania Major: Biochemistry Graduate School: Pursuing a doctoral degree in Chemical and Biological Sciences at Skaggs Institute at Scripps Research “The Mount has given me a wealth of lab experience. I've learned hard lab skills (such as how to use instrumentation) but perhaps more importantly, I've learned how to develop procedures, how to collaborate with other researchers and how to regroup when an experiment fails. I will absolutely take all these lessons with me into graduate school and beyond.”

NIA BROWN Hometown: Greenbelt, Maryland Major: Business Management Minor: Business Analytics Employer: Microsoft as a Technical Consulting Customer Engineer

DHANE SCHMELYUN Hometown: Hanover, Pennsylvania Major: Biology Graduate School: Pursuing a doctoral degree in Chemical Biology at Johns Hopkins University “The most meaningful experience that I had while at the Mount was conducting biochemical research in Dr. Patrick Lombardi’s laboratory during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years. This experience not only allowed me to develop fundamental research skills, but also greatly influenced my decision to further my education by attending graduate school.”

“Freshman year I was a Core leader and a freshman ambassador. Sophomore year I became the secretary of the Maryland Student Legislature.

Junior year I joined the Voice exec. board and also became the vice president of Women in Business. All of these clubs have a common thread: servant leadership. I have always strived to be in service to others. I will live significantly by being a vessel for my community, continuing to serve others and to glorify God in everything that I do.”

NICHOL AS STARVAGGI Hometown: Frederick, Maryland Majors: Chemistry and Biochemistry Minor: Mathematics Graduate School: Pursuing a doctoral degree in Chemistry at Texas A&M University “I became involved with Dr. Isaac Mills' research as a freshman, and this opportunity helped me gain hands-on experience with practical, inorganic chemistry. The discipline I've gained through performing on-campus research as an undergraduate student has equipped me to be an active member of my graduate research group.”

MATENYEH K ABA Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland Major: Psychology Graduate School: New York University “I have always been interested in the mental health field, but the psychology department’s emphasis on research definitely drew me in.”

RACHEL LY TER Hometown: York, Pennsylvania Major: Business with a concentration in Management Minor: Theology Employer: Clark Associates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a Category Analyst “The friends I made at the Mount have helped me grow into the person I am today.”

FALL 2021 MOUNT NEWS

13

THE BIG PICTURE “When I got drafted by the Baltimore Bullets, everyone in Philadelphia said I wouldn’t make it. I wasn’t good enough. They didn’t realize that I was taught by Coach Phelan. He taught me how to shoot. He taught me toughness. He taught me how to play.

I made the Baltimore Bullets and in one year was 20th in the league in scoring. I know what Coach has done for me. All these things are just snapshots. The big picture is what Coach Phelan did that changed the landscape of Mount St. Mary’s. When he brought me in, it opened the door for African-American students to come to Mount St. Mary’s, long before all the other institutions.

He had an idea. God gave him the thought, and he acted on it.”

A Tribute to

Jim Phelan

1929-2021

Excerpt from eulogy by Fred Carter, C’69, former NBA standout and coach for the Philadelphia 76ers

A LIFE OF FAITH, KINDNESS AND INTEGRITY “He was a man who found happiness not in fame or fortune but in his friends, family and the satisfaction of a career he deeply loved.

We will miss his smile, his laughter, his self-deprecating charm— always ready with a story or a one-liner. He will be remembered not just because of basketball, but also because he lived a life of faith, kindness and integrity and he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and beloved coach, and friend to so many.”

Excerpt from eulogy by Mount Athletic Director Lynne Phelan Robinson, C’79, MBA’83, daughter of Jim and Dottie Phelan

THE RECORD OF LEGENDARY Mount St. Mary’s basketball coach Jim Phelan speaks for itself, not only in the impressive numbers that many Mount basketball fans can rattle off with ease—49 seasons, 830 career victories, 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament, the 1962 College Division National Championship and four Final Four appearances— but more importantly in the lives that he impacted in forming student-athletes into ethical leaders and mentoring multiple coaches who continue his legacy.

As a coach and athletic director, he stressed the importance of the development of the whole person.

Ninety percent of his student-athletes graduated.

We document Coach’s enduring impact on the Mount, in the words of those whose lives he touched.

A DEDICATED MAN “Coach Phelan served as a role model not only to his players, but also to every student at Mount St. Mary’s. He was a man dedicated to his family as a loving husband, a caring father and a proud grandfather. He was a man dedicated to his job, spending extra time before, after and in between practices (including with me especially when I was a spindly freshman) to help young men hone their skills and gain confidence.

Coach Phelan prepared his players for competition on the court as well as life off the court. To praise Coach Phelan without also recognizing his wife Dottie would be an injustice. Every player’s parents knew that Dottie was looking out for ‘her boys.’ She, too, epitomized the family feeling we shared while on campus and still share today wherever we reside. I am proud to tell everyone that I played for the great coach Jim Phelan.”

Rick Kidwell, C’76

Coach Phelan and Fred Carter, C'69

“For 49 seasons, Coach Phelan formed student-athletes who embodied the Mount's mission statement by having a passion for learning, being ethical leaders and serving God and others.

Everyone who met Jim loved him, especially his student-athletes and his family. He touched the lives of thousands of Mounties and summer basketball camp attendees."

Mount St. Mary’s President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D.

PERSPECTIVES OF COACHES HE MENTORED “You coached me and loved me as a player. When I took over at the Mount, where most wouldn’t have helped me, you instead 1 4

FEATURE FALL 2021

Coach Phelan and President Trainor

1962 Championship

showed up once a week and guided me with the advice only a legend could have done. Winning or losing, you always coached me. You always cared for me. You always wanted me to be at my best. That’s exactly what a coach does. Coach Phelan, thank you for showing me what being elite truly looks like each day."

George Washington University Men’s Basketball Coach Jamion Christian, C’04, a player on Coach’s final teams who returned as men’s basketball coach from 2012-18 and led the Mountaineers to NCAA tournaments in 2014 and 2017 “The path of my coaching career changed in 1998 when I drove up to Emmitsburg to interview with Coach for one of his assistant coaching positions. He’s the reason I was able to be a DI head coach at the age of 32. To this day, I am still honored that he wanted me to run his program once he retired after 49 years at the Mount. And that’s what it was, Coach Phelan’s program, and that’s what it still is.”

Milan Brown, assistant head coach of men’s basketball, University of Pittsburgh, and Mount men’s basketball coach from 2003-10 “I am fortunate to coach at the place that Coach Phelan built and grateful that he built it on family. I get to share his desk and I get to coach in the gym that he changed lives in—what an honor. His friendship and mentorship were true gifts in my life. He lifted me up during some lean coaching years. I will miss our lunches, his laugh and his storytelling. But I have no doubt that his memory, his LEGACY, will continue to live on for generations to come in the players who he coached, the coaches who he mentored and at Mount St. Mary’s University. The Mount is so lucky you were ours.”

Current Mount Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Engelstad

A COACH’S COACH

Jamion Christian, C'04, and Coach Phelan

“He was a Hall of Fame coach. More than that, he was a Hall of Fame person.”

John Feinstein, sports columnist, The Washington Post

FACEBOOK COMMENTS FROM THOSE HE COACHED “So fortunate to play for this great coach and man.”

John Moore, C’98 “I am thankful to have had a brief opportunity to play under him. He was intelligent and funny. He gave me the nickname Khalision because of my aggressive play.”

Khalid Shakur, 1995-96 “RIP Coach Phelan. My father’s coach back in the late 50s at the Mount; such a great man. My dad has visited and kept in touch with him throughout his life. That’s the type of impact he had on his players.”

Bryan Stanley, son of Bill Stanley, C’56 “Jim Phelan’s contributions to the Mount extend further than many people realize. Coach also headed the Mount baseball team back in the days of the Mason Dixon Conference. People look oddly at 5’8” pudgy me when I tell them Phelan was my coach back in the mid-1960s.”

Jim Chrismer, C’66

…AND THOSE WHO CHEERED ON THE TEAM “Grateful to be able to have seen him coach. My favorite Jim Phelan quote: When he retired a reporter asked him ‘How does it feel to be the coach with the most wins in NCAA history?’ He responded, ‘Well, it feels about the same as having the most losses.’ That humbleness in success is something I will always remember and emulate. RIP Coach.”

“There are certain awards that mean a lot to you based on who they represent. Jim Phelan was respected throughout our game as a molder of young men and his love for the sport.”

Raymond Patrick Bonner, C'61

University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball Coach John Calipari, 2009 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Awardee

Festus Kiprono, C’00

“A man’s man. A coach’s coach. Coach Phelan had an amazing life.”

Dottie and Jim Phelan at his last game before retirement on March 1, 2003

“RIP, Coach. I have fond memories of you coaching the 1998, 1999 and 2000 teams.”

“Many fond memories of Coach leading our Mounties to a thrilling win in the airplane hanger.”

Christine Johnson Hall, C’84

Villanova University Men’s Basketball Coach Jay Wright FALL 2021 FEATURE

15

Learning Services Sharpening Skills, Focusing Abilities, Empowering the Human Person

By Nicole Patterson ONE OF MOUNT ST. MARY’S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES is its emphasis on principles of Catholic Social Teaching including human dignity—an understanding of the sacred dignity that each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the likeness of Christ. The moral measure of our institution is to what degree it enhances the life of the human person.

The Department of Learning Services offers a variety of programs designed to help students succeed academically. What started in the mid-1970s as a resource to assist a professor’s child with autism has grown to include programs like disability services, peer tutoring and Summit Scholars. Learning Services supports students on their academic journey.

“Everyone is truly welcome here. It doesn’t matter who you are. God put you on this Earth and you as a person are worthy of being who you are and who you want to be,” says Jane Hollabaugh, administrative assistant in Learning Services.

“We’re going to accept you and love you just because you’re you.”

Hollabaugh, who graduated from St. Joseph College in the Class of 1975, has worked at the Mount for nearly 25 years. A sign posted outside her office door reads: Peace to all who enter here.

DISABILITY SERVICES As times have changed, and she reminisces about driving her 1958 Dodge Coronet with fins and a push button transmission, she has seen Learning Services transform and expand to include student accommodation letters, changes to the law, testing and diagnoses to name a few. The individualized and confidential services students receive are a testament to the Learning Services team, Mount faculty members and, of course, the students themselves.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the United States, discrimination is prohibited against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance. That law set the stage for the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In 2008, the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), signed into law by President George W. Bush, allowed for a broader legal definition of “disability” and provided greater protections against discrimination under the law.

“We have graduated students with Tourette’s Syndrome, students with autism, students with attention deficit disorder,

Meet the Staff

JANE HOLLABAUGH ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

1 6

FEATURE FALL 2021

DENISE MARJARUM DIRECTOR OF LEARNING SERVICES

students who are blind and Deaf,” Hollabaugh notes.

Director of Learning Services Denise Marjarum had a vision for what Learning Services could become. Marjarum, who received her Master of Science degree in counseling from McDaniel College, spent the last 20 years at the Mount after working at another private, liberal arts college for 15 years. While much of the work of Learning Services is done in the background and under the radar, the work and the relationships fuel her purpose. Each member of Learning Services sits around the table in their conference room nodding their heads in solidarity.

“Working with students with disabilities was always what I wanted to do since I was a little kid. I knew I wanted to teach.

Early on, for whatever reason, I saw people with disabilities as human beings and individuals to be respected—even when the rest of the world didn’t,” Marjarum adds. In the first grade she learned sign language. In elementary and middle school, she would get mad if she saw students with disabilities being bullied or mistreated.

Some of the students from Learning Services continue to reach out for support well after graduation. The Learning Services team chimes in with examples of how alumni still send emails or call to share what’s going on in their personal or professional lives. These strong relationships underscore the need to create communities and social systems that reflect the underlying love and inherent dignity of each person.

Peer Tutoring Program received Level 2 (Advanced) Certification through the College Reading and Learning Association’s (CRLA) International Tutor Training Program Certification. Level 1 has been in place since 2012. Many of the Mount’s peer tutors are individually CRLA-certified.

“Part of the reason I came here 11 years ago was because Denise tasked me with fixing the peer tutoring program, which I did,” Sites says. “Admittedly, it took me a little bit of my 20s to figure out what I wanted to do. But I figured out I loved working with students in an academic support setting, particularly with peer tutoring programs because I was a peer tutor myself and did a little professional tutoring during graduate school,” she recalls. She received her Master of Arts degree in college student personnel and counseling at Shippensburg University.

Her graduate school advisor, Jan Arminio, co-wrote the book Why Aren’t We There Yet? Taking Personal Responsibility for Creating an Inclusive Campus. Sites says she learned a lot about social justice and what it truly means to value the dignity of others.

In 2010, originally tasked with peer tutoring and retention, Sites made valiant strides. She created Mount Cares, a referral system for faculty and staff to share a concern about a student.

Each student is assigned a case manager to help assess their needs, understand and inform a larger picture and reach the student. “I created Mount Cares. Back in the old days, we didn’t have any reporting system—just a four-week report and midterms and final grades were the only student checkpoints,” Sites explains.

PEER TUTORING Learning Services also offers peer tutoring free to all students.

Peer tutors (students) are trained and faculty-recommended.

Their service allows students to better comprehend course content, prepare for exams and develop efficient strategies.

In August 2021, Associate Director of Learning and Success Kristin Sites was thrilled to announce the Learning Services

KRISTIN SITES ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND SUCCESS

SUMMIT SCHOLARS “You came in for the graduate assistant interview, and I swear all four of us looked at each other and actually said: ‘Get that kid.

Don’t let him leave the building,’” Sites says of Assistant Director of Learning Services and Summit Scholars Program Coordinator Lucas Dayhoff. Everyone around the table laughs. Now in his

LUCAS DAYHOFF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF LEARNING SERVICES AND SUMMIT SCHOLARS PROGRAM COORDINATOR

AMBER BARNHART DISABILITY SPECIALIST

FALL 2021 FEATURE

17

The Numbers Learning Services serves

In 2020-21, Learning Services managed

In 2020-21, Learning Services received

14% 812 644 of the Mount’s overall student population

tutor requests

eighth year at the Mount, he began as a graduate assistant in Learning Services.

of college, I was tutoring and working in Learning Services,” Barnhart says.

“I first started under Kristin with Mount Cares and helped her get data and fell in love with the work over time,” he admits. “I got to work with and mentor some really great students. It was just so rewarding.” Marjarum soon tasked him with running the Transition Program targeted at students with lower high school GPA and SAT scores. Many of these students are first generation college students.

After graduation, she completed a counseling program at McDaniel College and worked with students with disabilities and clients in their homes, but she missed the academic setting and when she saw an employment ad for a learning specialist at the Mount, she knew. “That’s where I want to be,” she thought. “This place has always had a connection for me since I was little.”

Dayhoff developed Summit Scholars, a mentoring system designed to assist new students with a successful transition from high school to university academics. Students in the program are appointed a Learning Services staff member to meet with them on a regular basis to develop their study, organizational and time management skills—while being a personal advocate for that student’s first year at the Mount. Summit Scholars are also encouraged to attend peer tutoring appointments and frequent the Writing Center, led by Assistant Professor of Communication and English Jordan Loveridge, Ph.D.

Barnhart created a case management system for students with disabilities so each and every student who comes to Learning Services is paired with a team member. “They know they’re not alone. They’re not a number. They are a person and they have an advocate,” she adds.

The outreach and communication between students, their parents, faculty and advisors have made a positive impact.

Dayhoff is hopeful to partner with director of Mount 101, Department of History Chair and Associate Professor Timothy Fritz, Ph.D., to pilot one group of Summit Scholars through Mount 101, a summer bridge program designed to offer students two three-credit courses while also fostering a sense of friendship and community through field trips and events. Dayhoff says that’s the dream.

AN ADVOCATE Disability Specialist Amber Barnhart, C’10, is an example of Learning Services work in action. “I came to Denise because I needed some academic support. But then by the last two years 1 8

Mount Cares referrals

FEATURE FALL 2021

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER: THE VALUE OF LEARNING SERVICES Each person seated around the table has shared why they care about Mount students, how their experiences helped them create something new and how they continue to work to create a more equitable college experience for all students. Marjarum emphasizes it is her job, goal and life’s work to make sure these students aren’t pushed to the margins but integrated into the Mount community and have a regular college experience.

More information Visit msmary.edu/learningservices to learn more.

More Than a Degree Michael Tomlin, C’20, with his wife Leann at Bike MS: City to Shore event in New Jersey, in late September. The event raised more than $3 million.

Facts & Figures ATTENDED 23 EVENTS FOR BIKE MS IN FOUR STATES: MD, VA, PA, NJ COMPLETED 11 CENTURIES (CENTURY IS A 100-MILE RIDE) RAISED $32,648 FOR BIKE MS

Michael Tomlin, C’20, with Dawn Hammond, C’02, MBA’05, (in white) at a local Bike MS: Chesapeake Challenge event in Easton, Maryland, in June.

“I have used furthering my education in everything I do with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society— whether cycling, fundraising or advocacy.”

Michael Tomlin’s Purposeful Education

By Nicole Patterson MICHAEL TOMLIN, C’20, earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the Mount’s accelerated undergraduate program. The 43-year-old Navy veteran says the experience and what he learned help him focus on his work, pursue his passions and connect to his life’s greater purpose.

Tomlin began his collegiate journey in 2012, five years after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on October 11, 2007, just four days after turning 30 years old. MS is a chronic and progressive disease involving damage to the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms may include numbness, impairment of speech and muscular coordination, blurred vision and fatigue. Tomlin had cognitive symptoms.

Two years after leaving the Navy, he started work at Wells Fargo as a temporary employee. He was soon hired as a loan officer in 2004 and then made the switch to quality assurance in 2008. In his current role, he oversees three areas of specialty within capital markets loan operations. Much of his work is analytical and deals with compliance and government regulations—and he says the research and attention to detail required to further his education has helped improve his career.

“I received two promotions since 2016, and I believe the Mount helped me achieve these,” he says. “Since beginning at the Mount in 2016, I have become a subject matter expert and furthering my education has helped me complete much more difficult assignments.”

Choosing to continue his education was a step toward becoming a lifelong learner; it also helped him counteract the cognitive symptoms he faced with MS. Tomlin is also proud to become the first person in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

“I highly recommend the Mount. The flexibility, cost and class size were excellent. I was able to complete my degree at my own pace,” he adds.

Tomlin says his connections with the Mount spurred his volunteer efforts with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “I am a patient advocate for those living and thriving with MS. I have used furthering my education in everything I do with the Society—whether cycling, fundraising or advocacy.”

Learn more!

To connect and learn more about his inspiring story, advocacy work and relentless rides, visit facebook.com/MikeBikesforMS.

MICHAEL TOMLIN, C’20 FALL 2021 FEATURE

19

Our Hope for the Future 62 days and 4,017 miles

By Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D.

2 0

FEATURE FALL 2021

Friends along the way!

BYRON THE FISHERMAN WHO SHARED A COLD DRINK AND SOME STORIES IN A VERY REMOTE PART OF IDAHO.

SPES NOSTRA. I must admit that prior to joining the Mount community, just over three years ago, I could not have told you the standard English translation of these two words. I don’t think I’d even heard them before.

Today, this deeply meaningful Mount motto—Our Hope—is where my wife Lori and I keep landing when asked to share our biggest personal takeaway from the Tour de Sheetz transAmerica cycling fundraiser this past summer.

This may seem like an over-simplified, if not over the top, way to describe our 62-day journey that had plenty of ups and downs (literally and figuratively), but it fits in every way. From the experience of planning the event with our incredible Mount teammates, to the generous support and encouragement from students, alumni and other friends of the Mount prior to and during the ride, to the stunning beauty of our great nation, to the wonderful people we encountered along the way—it all pointed to and reinforces Our Hope.

Hope for the important role the Mount plays in educating generations of ethical leaders. Hope for our amazing students, their unyielding curiosity and determination to innovate and discover for the common good. And hope that each of us can pause from the digital firehose we subject ourselves to every day and recognize the kind and compassionate people from all walks of life and all corners of the land. In short, Our Hope for the future.

When prospective students and their families visit our campus, I tell them if they remember nothing else from their visit, I want them to take away two things that make the Mount a special place. The first is that we provide big school opportunities in a small school environment. The second is that we provide a broad liberal education that enables them to find the intersection of their talents and their passions. At this intersection is where they can realize the intellectual and emotional resonance (I had to slip in a physics term at some point) that puts them on a pathway to leading lives of significance.

The Tour de Sheetz provided Lori and me the opportunity to leverage that same intersection that I tell students that come to the Mount to pursue. Now I’m not sure if it really qualifies as talent, but we had the experience and determination to plan and execute a leap-frog operation where Lori cycled some, pulled the camper lots and masterfully managed the logistics of the

JAMIE PELZ, C’02, WHO PAGED US IN A GROCERY STORE IN MISSOULA, MONTANA, BECAUSE HE SAW THE MOUNT MAGNETS ON OUR TRUCK.

A VERY OLD MAN NEAR EFFINGHAM, KANSAS WHO GAVE ME A BUCKEYE SEED FOR HEALTH, PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS.

DEB, KAITLYN AND TONY IN ARROW ROCK, MISSOURI, WHO RESCUED ME ON A SMOKING HOT JULY 4 AFTER I RAN OUT OF WATER.

JIM AND CINDY, OWNERS OF SAND HOLLOW WINERY, WHO LET US CAMP ON THEIR PROPERTY AND ENJOY A NIGHT OF LIVE MUSIC AND PIZZA WITH THEM.

FALL 2021 FEATURE

21

Memorable Places SISTERS, OREGON BITTERROOT VALLEY, MONTANA COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND, WYOMING KATY TRAIL STATE PARK, MISSOURI MCCORMICK’S CREEK STATE PARK, INDIANA MONTOUR TRAIL IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

entire cross-country operation. I just pedaled. All day. The passion, however, is much more fun to talk about. Lori teaches math and science to future educators, and I am fortunate that as an administrator, President Trainor and Christine McCauslin, Ph.D., dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics still let me teach physics every semester. I cherish that connection to our students and cannot imagine serving the Mount without it. Every day we interact with these amazing young people, many of whom are earning prestigious internships, scholarships and fellowships, we get fired up to do better. Prepare and deliver lessons better. Evolve programs better. And, most importantly, address a critical need at the Mount and provide them with better science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning spaces.

They deserve it.

Thanks to our incredible faculty, programs and research opportunities, our School of Natural Science and Mathematics programs are outgrowing our facilities—from both a volume and modernization perspective. Arguably, that’s a good problem to have in today’s higher education market. But when I see our incredible students roaming the halls of the 2 2

FEATURE FALL 2021

Coad science building each day, I cannot help but think about raising the cap even further on their potential to lead lives of significance. We produce outstanding graduates who are making big impacts in medicine, research and computational fields. Just imagine if we could up our facilities game. We can and we will. In fact, we already have institutional campaign initiatives and some state support to do so. And thanks to the creativity and support of Dean McCauslin, and many other teammates in marketing and communications and advancement, our transAmerica bike ride took on a purpose much bigger than we ever dreamed and would help raise some additional money for the planned expansion and renovation of our science building.

The trip itself was incredible. Experiencing our county at about 15 miles per hour and well off the beaten path is amazing.

The story of our adventure is difficult to tell because it isn’t a story, but rather a collection of experiences, observations and interactions that are connected by two consistent themes— beautiful scenery and wonderful people. One of the common questions I was asked about the journey was: “What were your biggest concerns or worries?” Though we were clearly

"We’re blessed that every day we interact with our students and colleagues we get the same sentiment that we got every day on the Tour—a boost to our hope for the future. Spes Nostra."

Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D.

concerned about the things that we could not control like severe weather, mechanical breakdown or distracted drivers, those issues could be mitigated through planning and safety measures. However, there were two things I worried could be at risk during this trip: my marriage and my love for cycling.

The former is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I did want to remind myself along the way that Lori was subjecting herself to living in about 120 square feet for two months with a guy who was always smelly, tired and hungry (which for me means hangry). The latter was actually a serious concern. I worried one day I would wake up and dread getting on the bike. I worried I would actually bike my way out of loving to bike. It didn’t happen. What did happen is that my marriage (Lori has the patience of Job) and my love for cycling got stronger as a result of the trip.

One thing we never worried about was achieving our goal of raising “margin of excellence” funds to make our STEM facilities even better than we can imagine. We know what Mounties (and even complete strangers once they heard about Mounties) can do, and we raised more than $65,000 for our science building! I cannot properly thank those who

planned, encouraged and donated to the ride. The support was indescribable. But we’re not surprised. Lori and I knew the day we arrived on campus in July 2018 that this is a very special community, and we are blessed to be a part of it. We’re blessed that every day we interact with our students and colleagues we get the same sentiment that we got every day on the Tour— a boost to our hope for the future. Spes Nostra.

Team Sheetz!

Give hope to future students and donate today. Help us reach our $100,000 goal.

Visit msmary.edu/tour.

Watch Kraig’s vlogs from Tour de Sheetz at msmary.edu/tdsvlog.

FALL 2021 FEATURE

23

Alumni News NAA President’s Letter DEAR MOUNT ALUMNI, I am very excited to be writing to you as National Alumni Association (NAA) President. I ran for president because I love the Mount, and I wanted to continue to give back and try to help the Mount be the best it can be. That’s where all of you come in. If you love the Mount as much as I do, we can all do our part to help the Mount be the best it can be. Please advocate for the Mount. Tell everyone you see how special the university is, and how it produces great alumni. Give back to the Mount if you are able, especially to the Annual Fund. It is critical for the Mount to increase the contributions to the Annual Fund in order to remain a viable and competitive institution.

Your NAA plays a critical role in fostering engagement with alumni once they have left our Mountain home, and because you elected us, I hope you feel that we are doing just that, fostering engagement with you. If you have thoughts or ideas on how we can best serve you, please let us know.

I truly believe that the bloodline of the NAA lies within the chapters. As we’ve grown the number of chapters in the past few years, my goal as president is to strengthen the engagement in the current chapters, while looking at ways to engage with alumni who live outside of our current chapter locations. Speaking of chapters, I’m happy to announce our newest, the Delaware/Maryland Beach Chapter. If you live in an area that does not have a formal chapter but would like to form a one and/or have an alumni event, please let us know.

Service is part of the fabric of the Mount, and I’d like to share information about an important event where our alumni can give back. On December 18, the NAA will participate in Wreaths Across America. Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath laying ceremonies at over

2 4

ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2021

2,500 cemeteries across the nation to recognize and honor our veterans. We are working with the chapters to arrange a meeting location for their local cemetery participating in Wreaths Across America. For those of you who may not be in a chapter area, we encourage you to look up a participating location in your area to create a day of service for Mounties across the nation.

One of the things I am most looking forward to is meeting many more of our alumni at events at the Mount and at Chapter events.

I was fortunate to finally celebrate my 40th class reunion this past October. It was great to see so many familiar faces and get to know alumni from other classes celebrating at Reunion Weekend 2020/2021. Congratulations specifically to our Golden Mountaineer 50th reunion classes and our Bruté recipients— Cmdr. John Williams Jr., Class of 1965 and Karen Mataldi Dahut, Class of 1985.

In closing, I want all alumni to know that I feel so honored and privileged to be your NAA president. I do not take the responsibility lightly, and I will do my best to engage with you and to live up to your expectations of what a NAA president should be. Spes Notra.

SUSAN JANOWIAK, C’81 National Alumni Association President

Current and past Bruté recipients in attendance at the alumni banquet (left to right): John McKee, C'65, Judy Mazzeo Zocchi, C'81, Karen Mataldi Dahut, C'85, Robert Diegelmann, C'65, Cmdr. John Williams Jr., C'65, and Stephen Bury, C'72

Alumni Awards Karen and her family

Congratulations to the recipients!

The Simon Bruté Medal The Simon Bruté Medal is the highest honor that the National Alumni Association confers upon an alumnus/alumna who distinguishes himself/herself through commitment to career, community, the university or service to fellow citizens.

John and his family

RECIPIENTS: KAREN MATALDI DAHUT, C’85 AND CMDR. JOHN WILLIAMS JR., C'65

Pride of the Mount Award The Pride of the Mount Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Mount St. Mary’s over the years through personal generosity of their resources, time and talent. Recipients represent the very best of American philanthropy and embody the very spirit of the Mount.

RECIPIENT: ED CARUSO, C’86 Ed was presented with the Pride of the Mount Award at the Jersey Shore Chapter's Annual Beach Ball at Bar Anticipation on June 26, 2021, in recognition of his service as National Alumni President from 2017-21.

FALL 2021 MOUNT MAGAZINE

25

REUNION RECAP!

Reunion Weekend

2020-21

A great time was had by all at the 2020-21 Mount Reunion.

Thank you to all who came to celebrate!

ON SATURDAY OF REUNION WEEKEND, alumni had the opportunity to participate in many different activities and celebrate their milestone reunion with their class!

REUNION FESTIVAL AT THE PALMIERI ACTIVITIES CENTER Alumni competed in a cornhole tournament, were entertained by a fine and performing arts showcase as well as offered a guided National Shrine Grotto tour. This year included a Paint ‘n Sip at the Terrace where attendees were invited to paint a Mountthemed scene through a guided paint session.

2 6

ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2021

ALUMNI BANQUET & GOLDEN MOUNTAINEER MASSAND REUNION Alumni celebrated the Bruté Medal Recipients and the members of the 50th classes, 1970 and 1971.

CLASS OF 1970

CLASS OF 1971

RUGBY WATCH PARTY ON ECHO FIELD

45TH ANNUAL ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT Alumni spent a sunny day on the links at the Waynesboro Country Club. All proceeds benefitted the Rev. Carl J. Fives Alumni Scholarship.

THERE'S MORE TO SEE!

DEEGAN MASS & MEMORIAL BRUNCH Coach Jim Deegan was part of our Mount family for 62 years. We paid tribute to a great man, husband, father, grandfather and coach. He loved his mountain home. A Memorial Mass was held at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception followed by brunch in Patriot Hall and a men’s soccer game at Waldron Family Stadium.

CLASS OF 2016

Thank you for coming to Reunion 2020/2021!

See more photos at: msmary.edu/reunionphotos

CLASS OF 2002

CLASS OF 1966

CLASS OF 2006

CLASS OF 2020

2 8

ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2021

CLASS OF 2015

Mahoney and Read in 1956 while writing for The Mountain Echo.

Henry Read

Peter Francis Bailey

Gerard Mahoney

Dr. Joseph Smith

Michael Doyle

James Desmond

Class of 1957

By Nicole Patterson

IN MAY, FIVE ALUMNI OF THE CLASS OF 1957 traveled from their homes in Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Pennsylvania to gather for a special reunion. Alice Desmond, widow of James Desmond, C’57, traveled from New York to share in the joyous homecoming. “Imagine what it takes to get these men here,” she reflected. After meeting them and listening to their stories—it’s clear the Mount serves as the foundation for their enduring friendship and rich memories.

HENRY READ Studied English and had a career in education as a teacher and superintendent. He published manuals for journalists and educational testing.

“We had to take 24 credits in philosophy and I, like many others, questioned this logic. You know how you take typing in high school and it’s the best subject you ever took because you can type your own papers? Those philosophy courses are more valuable as an adult. I can’t remember my history and economics courses, but the philosophy classes I can remember—and the theories behind them. It gives you a benchmark for measuring morality in business and life in general.”

PETER FRANCIS BAILEY Studied history and economics and served in the Navy before taking ownership of a steakhouse restaurant in Bold Landing, New York. He drove a 1947 Packard lovingly referred to as the “Birdshit Special” which he says, “was a stick shift, had a big V8 and went like hell.”

“The Navy was sort of an extension of the Mount for me because I was on a small ship and it was like a small college. You knew everybody and you depended on everybody—just exactly like what we did here. We needed everybody. We were just a big team.”

GERARD “JERRY” MAHONEY Studied economics and flourished in a 45-year career at a large copper producing company.

He remembers driving a 1949 Plymouth and tells stories about trips to St. Joseph and Hood Colleges as well as an eventful weekend at Georgetown.

(Left to right): Henry Read, C'57, Gerard Mahoney, C'57, Alice Desmond, Michael Doyle, C'57, Peter Bailey, C'57, Ginger Bailey, Dr. Joseph Smith, C'57, and Louise Smith.

“I had a job before I graduated. I came up with an idea which was a little bit different. I sent out letters to request an interview; I went to them. We all went to the Mount.

We all had our reservations about the Mount. The Mount afforded whatever success any of us fellows have had, afforded us a degree and taught us how to socialize.”

DR. JOSEPH SMITH Studied science and chemistry and enjoyed his own dentistry business on Long Island. He met his wife Louise when he was 5 and she was 3; they grew up across the street from one another and have 8 children (and a lot of love).

“The Mount had a big part of our lives. The relationships you had with the professors and priests on campus—they were great. I could have gone to Villanova and had 3 or 4 acceptances from other schools, but I chose this. Louise came to our proms and we had a lot of great memories from the Mount. I had one big thing while I was here at the Mount. I had a terrible, terrible car crash. Nobody was killed, thank God. Michael was in it. We put a few of them in the hospital and wrecked the guy’s car that we borrowed.”

Highlight: The awesome figure of Rev. William McGonigle (dean of men) standing with his hands around the cross wearing a cloak before embracing them, thanking God they were alive.

MICHAEL DOYLE Studied business and economics and enjoyed a career as a salesman. He was married twice; he met his first wife Dodie at Paramount College and she passed away prematurely in her 40s. His second wife was Alice.

“Coming back here and seeing these people…you know them. You can’t bullshit them. They knew you when you were a 17-and 18-year old drunk. They loved you then and they still do.”

Advice to current students: I’ll steal this from my wife who repeated this to our 15 children just about every time they walked out the door: Make wise decisions.

FALL 2021 ALUMNI NEWS

29

Class Notes William “Wilbur” Wills, C’69, and Sue Wills as Ike and Mamie Eisenhower

See what your fellow alumni are doing!

Stories are listed by class year, in ascending order to most recent and alphabetically by last name.

Accomplishments

Dan Smith, C’91, MBA’94

WILLIAM “WILBUR” WILLS, C’69, AND SUE WILLS William “Wilbur” Wills, C’69, and Sue Wills passed 9,000 on-stage performances. Approximately 4,000 performances spanning two decades have been with their theatre company, Parker Productions, in Ocean City, Maryland. More than 5,000 performances have been their unique creation, Presidents and Their First Ladies, dramatically speaking— now celebrating 25 years. Wills got his start in theatre at the Mount when he and several students revived the Sock’N Buskin drama society in 1966.

DAN SMITH, C’91, MBA’94 Dan Smith, C’91, MBA’94, was named one of “Washington’s Most Influential People” in Banking and Finance in the March 2021 issue of Washingtonian. Smith is executive vice president and head of regulatory affairs at Consumer Bankers Association and serves as a member of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business advisory board. He was a former basketball and track student-athlete and is married to Kathy (Flavin) Smith, C’92. They have a daughter named Madeline.

Heather Kitching, C'98, and Tim Kitching, C'00, are proud of their children Hayley and Jade who were featured in The Focus

HEATHER KITCHING, C’98, AND TIM KITCHING, C’00 Heather Kitching, C’98, and Tim Kitching, C’00, met as teammates on the Mount’s track and field teams. They live in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. Their 16-year-old daughter, Hayley, won Gold in the Under-18 women’s 800-metre event at the Australian Track and Field Championship in Sydney to become the national champion in April. She was featured in The Focus, a local magazine. Their 14-year-old son Jade finished second place in his National Championship race in the 800-metre event as well.

JULIE (MARTIN) HIRSCH, C’05, MAT’07 Julie (Martin) Hirsch, C’05, MAT’07, is #MountProud of her children Dylan and Zoe as they represent her alma mater in Lutherville, Maryland.

Dylan and Zoe, children of Julie (Martin) Hirsch, C’05, MAT’07 3 0

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

MARY ELIZABETH COHILL HARVEY, C’07 Mary Elizabeth Cohill Harvey, C’07, was promoted to associate vice president for advancement and campaign director at Mary Baldwin University where she is leading their $50 million Empowers campaign. She previously served as director of campaign planning at the University of Maryland for their recently completed $1.5 billion Fearless Ideas fundraising campaign and spent six years as a principal gifts analyst and associate director of development at George Washington University. She also completed Cornell University’s Women in Leadership certificate program.

COLLINS S. LETHBRIDGE, C’15 Collins S. Lethbridge, C’15, was promoted from senior staff accountant to supervisor at advisory firm Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz on July 2, 2021. He has six years of public accounting experience and provides tax services to small businesses, specializing in accounting for farms and other agribusinesses.

Mary Elizabeth Cohill Harvey, C’07

REV. MR. MATTHEW SMITH, C’16, S’22 Rev. Mr. Matthew Smith, C’16, S’22, preached his first homily at his home parish, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in York, Pennsylvania, on May 16, 2021. He was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate by Bishop Ronald Gainer for the Diocese of Harrisburg. The ordination took place in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Collins S. Lethbridge, C’15

Rev. Mr. Matthew Smith, C’16, S’22

Engagements

GEANNA DONNELLY, C’17, AND TYLER POST, C'17 Geanna Donnelly, C’17, and Tyler Post, C’17, became engaged on May 15, 2021.

The couple met in Italian class their first semester. He proposed at the Navy Merchant Marine Memorial.

SHANNON ZAVETZ, C’18, AND DUSTIN CRIBBS Shannon Zavetz, C’18, and Dustin Cribbs became engaged on April 6, 2021.

MARLEY HELLER, C’18, MBA’19, AND ANDREW LAPREZIOSA, C’18, MBA’19 Marley Heller, C’18, MBA’19, and Andrew Lapreziosa, C’18, MBA’19, became engaged on August 6, 2021. The couple met at the Mount in 2015.

FALL 2021 CLASS NOTES

31

Weddings CHRISTINA GOLDMAN, C’12, AND SEAN CHRISMAN Christina Goldman, C’12, and Sean Chrisman were married on July 1, 2021, in South Carolina.

AMANDA M. ATWOOD, ESQ., C’13, AND JOHN “JACK” G. MCGOWAN, C’13 Amanda M. Atwood, Esq., C’13, and John “Jack” G. McGowan, C’13, were married in a Catholic ceremony on December 19, 2020, at their home parish on Kent Island, Maryland.

RACHEL CATTANEO AND AUSTIN MCKAMEY, C’13 Rachel Cattaneo and Austin McKamey, C’13, were married on June 26, 2021, at Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco.

EMILY MYERS, C’13, MBA’15, AND JEREMY VERES Emily Myers, C'13, MBA'15, and Jeremy Veres were married in a small ceremony on August 22, 2020. They recently celebrated their anniversary with family and friends in August of 2021. Back Row: Zachary Light, MBA’15, Connor Carey, C’13, Kevin Downs, C’13, Bobby Rudd, MBA’15, Kevin Robinson, MAT’06, James Bartolozzi, C’14, Michael Rath, C’12, MBA’15, Chris Walsh, C’83, Kim Johnson, MBA’18, and Billy McGarity Front Row: Rebecca Rudd, Trish Robinson, C’04, Corey Downs, C’13, Alexandria Proffitt, C’13, MBA’15, Ali Carey, C’13, Jamie Everett, Ed Caruso, C’86, Yulia Kravchuk, C’16, Sloane Warden, C’14, Dawn Walsh, C’83, Hannah Dann, C’13, Jon Marsalese, C’13, MBA’14 3 2

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

CATIE (BROWN) CABRERA, C’14, AND NICOLAS CABRERA Catie (Brown) Cabrera, C’14, and Nicholas Cabrera, were married at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Woodbury, New Jersey, on September 8, 2021.

Left to right (back row): Megan Lynch, C’14, Sherri Cohen, C’14, Jake Dant, C’14, Michelle Kretschmaier-Hussey, C’83, Joe Hussey, C’83, Alexis Hussey, C’14, Jordan Bode, C’14, Sarah (Swope) Bode, C’14. (front row) Patrick Brown, C’10, Catie (Brown) Cabrera, C’14, Karen (Arata) Brown, C’10, Samantha Deangler, C’14.

ANGELA (SMITH) GATZKE, C’15, MBA’17, AND MARK GATZKE, C’16 Angela Smith, C’15, MBA’17, and Mark Gatzke, C’16, were married at the Mount on April 24, 2021.

Submit

your news!

Share your news with the alumni community by sending it to : themagazine@msmary.edu.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! ANNA CANTIRINO, C’13, AND DANIEL HORNER, C’12 Anna Cantirino, C’13, and Daniel Horner, C’12, celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary on July 9, 2021. The couple reside in Brooklyn, New York, and recently purchased their first condominium. She is a high school counselor in Brooklyn. He is an attorney in Manhattan.

The Mount reserves the right to refuse or revise submissions for style and length. Information about future events is not included.

FALL 2021 CLASS NOTES

33

Amanda Paige Photography

Births

3 4

CHRISTINA PETERSON AND JUSTIN PETERSON, C’07 Christina Peterson and Justin Peterson, C’07, welcomed Lucas Francis Peterson to their family on September 17, 2021, at 3:11 a.m.

KATHLEEN (ROSETTI) PLUMB, C’09, AND BOBBY PLUMB, C’09 Kathleen (Rosetti) Plumb, C’09, and Bobby Plumb, C’09, welcomed Ryan Patrick Plumb, born February 17, 2021. He joins older brother and sister Jackson and Kate.

MELANIE SCHWER, C’09, AND MATTHEW BETZ Melanie Schwer, C’09, and Matthew Betz welcomed their third child Wyatt Matthew on May 28, 2021. He joins older brother and sister Lucca and Brielle.

KRISTEN ACTON, C’10, AND BRIAN ACTON, C’10 Kristen Acton, C’10, and Brian Acton, C’10, welcomed their daughter Brianna Acton in early June 2021.

KATIE (MUIR) SCHULTZ, C’14, AND IAN SCHULTZ, C’12 Katie (Muir) Schultz, C’14, and Ian Schultz, C’12, welcomed Josephine Anne on February 22, 2021.

HELEN (PETERSON) IACCARINO, C’13, AND DEREK ICCARINO Helen (Peterson) Iaccarino, C’13, and Derek Iaccarino, welcomed Madison Rae on May 14, 2021. She joins older brother Jaxson.

MOLLIE WALSH BEIGEL, C’14, AND MARIS BEIGEL, C’14 Mollie Walsh Beigel, C’14, and husband Maris Beigel, C’14, welcomed Brooks Maris Beigel on March 10, 2021.

MEGAN HOFMEISTER, C’15, AND KIRK HOFMEISTER Megan Hofmeister, C’15, and Kirk Hofmeister welcomed Adelaide Rae Hofmeister on March 6, 2021.

ALEXANDRA MCCORMICK, C’19, AND AIDAN MCCORMICK, C’18 Alexandra McCormick, C’19, and Aidan McCormick, C’18, welcomed Lile James McCormick on June 10, 2021.

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

Paving the Way

Become one of the Mount's most dedicated donors whose sustained giving paves the way for current and future students to have an extraordinary Mount experience.

You are invited to join the Cornerstone Society by making a recurring gift to the Mount, regardless of size. When you give at the monthly level of $41.67, choose an exclusive thank you gift from the options below.

AS A THANK YOU, PLEASE CHOOSE A GIFT FROM THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

1

1. LIMITED EDITION CAMPUS PRINT This special edition print features a view high above Mount St. Mary's University, showcasing some of the most iconic buildings on campus.

2

3

Join the Mount's Cornerstone Society today!

Visit msmary.edu/cornerstone or call 301-447-5362 to learn more.

2. WATERCOLOR NOTECARDS This 12 pack of elegant stationery features six Mount buildings in watercolor wonder.

Enjoy the memories of the Terrace, the Terrace with the gazebo, Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Delaplaine Fine Arts Center, Bradley Hall and the ARCC.

3. THERMAL TO-GO MUG This handy Mount mug is perfect for keeping your beverage hot while you cheer on the Mount's athletic teams from the sidelines.

FALL 2021 MOUNT MAGAZINE

35

Mount Love Stories MOUNTIES CELEBRATE COMBINED 240 YEARS OF MARRIAGE Mount St. Mary’s and St. Joseph College have a long wedded tradition and it was never more evident than July 31, 2021, when five couples got together to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Jim Clarke, C’70, and Marykay Hughes Clarke, SJC’72, who were married in New Hyde Park, New York, on July 31, 1971. Their daughter Katie, in Nashville, worked with Pete Benninger, C’70, and Bernadette Ackerman Benninger, SJC’72, to arrange for a catered dinner that Mary Mehl Doherty, SJC’72, and Joe Doherty, C’70, hosted at their home in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The Benningers were married 50 years ago on June 12, 1971, in Baltimore. Gary Mazzucco, C’70, and Maryanne Mazzucco, SJC’70, and Jerry “Wahoo” Middlemiss, C’70, and Sandy Middlemiss helped to make this a fun and memorable time.

The five couples account for 240 years of marriage.

(Left to right): Gary Mazzucco, C’70, Maryanne Mazzucco, SJC’70, Jim Clarke, C’70, Marykay Clarke, SJC’72, Sandy Middlemiss, Jerry Middlemiss, C’70, Joe Doherty, C’70, Mary Doherty, SJC’72, Bernadette Ackerman Benninger, SJC’72, and Pete Benninger, C’70

AMANDA ATWOOD, ESQ., C’13, AND JOHN “JACK” G. MCGOWAN, C’13 "My husband and I met in August 2009 during our freshman move-in day. We became instant friends and remained so throughout our time at the Mount. We kept in touch after graduation and started dating during my second year of law school. After five years of dating, Jack proposed to me on December 25, 2019. We planned to wed at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, but due to COVID restrictions, we were instead married on December 19, 2020, in an intimate Catholic ceremony at our home parish on Kent Island."

Share the love!

Email your photo and love story to themagazine@msmary.edu for a chance to be featured!

CARLY E. MILLER, C’20, AND MICHAEL J. MOYNIHAN, C’18 "On July 27, 2021, I proposed to my college sweetheart after four years of being together. Carly and I first met when I was a junior at the Mount, and she was a freshman. Mount Athletics gave us the opportunity to meet and get to know each other better while I was on the men’s lacrosse team and she was on the women’s lacrosse team. If it wasn’t for the Mount, not only would I never have met Carly, but I wouldn’t have met my best friend and the woman with whom I will spend the rest of my life."

Travel to Austria with Us 4 Weeks Summer 2022 You are invited!

Join students and faculty next summer on a trip to Austria and help low-income students afford the trip. Your dollars make a difference when you travel with MSMU.

Learn More!

Email Amanda Krause, Ph.D., director of international programs, at abeal@msmary.edu.

FALL 2021 MOUNT MAGAZINE

37

In Memoriam APRIL 16, 2021 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace, Amen. May their souls and all the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

University Professor & Dean Emeritus William Forgang, Ph.D. December 8, 1946 – July 7, 2021

3 8

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AND DEAN EMERITUS WILLIAM FORGANG, PH.D., was the inaugural dean of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business from 2009-12. He worked for the Mount for 33 years, starting as a lecturer teaching strategic analysis and managerial economics. In 1990 he was promoted to dean of the MBA program and in 1995 became dean of graduate studies and director of the graduate program of business and professor of economics. He worked as a professor of economics and also served as chair of the Department of Business, Accounting and Economics.

Aiden L. Jensen, C’19 July 29, 1997 – August 10, 2021 AIDEN L. JENSEN, C’19, age 24, of Hagerstown, Maryland, passed in the early hours on August 10, 2021. He graduated from Washington County Technical High School in Hagerstown, Maryland, with high honors and a concentration in biomedical sciences before coming to the Mount where he studied business and majored in biology with a pre-medical concentration.

He was an accomplished drummer, scientist and friend. He loved nature and rap music and was interested in film, music and art.

Deceased listed in order by class year.

Dr. Frederick R. Czarra, C’60

Rev. Robert S. Panza, C’79

June 29, 2020

January 19, 2021

Horace F. Hanna, C’49

Thomas M. Tracey, C’62

Ronald T. Dunwoodie, C’84

February 28, 2021

May 3, 2021

January 24, 2021

Robert J. Landy, C’49

Dr. Beverly W. Dunn, C’64

Greg Holden, C’85

July 15, 2020

June 6, 2021

April 9, 2021

Thomas A. Mackin, C’49

Edward J. Hulse Jr., C’64

Geralynn M. Murphy, C’87

August 1, 2021

July 3, 2021

December 17, 2020

Simon S. Stock Jr., C’49

Joseph A. Fiorita Jr., C’67

Kerry C. Sheahan, C’87

October 11, 2016

June 7, 2021

May 9, 2021

Raymond B. Fields, C’50

Robert E. "Bo" Blair, C’68

Christine Brocato-Elliott, C’89

July 7, 2021

July 8, 2021

April 9, 2019

Paul N. Bridge, C’51

Dr. Noel M. Chiantella, C’71

Brian R. Riddle, C’91

June 5, 2021

June 29, 2021

June 7, 2021

Rev. David E. Kessinger, C’53

Padraic J. Lannon, C’71

Robert J. Ginski Jr., C’99

February 7, 2021

May 20, 2021

July 12, 2021

Frederick J. Klotzbach, C’53

Stephen E. Donnelly, C’72

Elaine S. Streck, C’00

April 17, 2021

July 6, 2021

May 27, 2021

James R. Nash, C’53

Chester A. Andruskiewicz, C’73

April 11, 2021

June 19, 2021

John H Walter, C’55

Markwood E. Angleberger, C’74

April 6, 2021

July 20, 2019

Matthew J. Halpin, C’57

Michael J. Kincaid, C’76

November 11, 2012

April 10, 2021

Donald J. Murray, C’57

Mary E. Arye, C’79

October 24, 2020

April 6, 2016

Patrick B. Boyle, C’60

Luella (Jackson) Marletta, C’79

July 17, 2021

May 28, 2020 FALL 2021 CLASS NOTES

39

Trudy Conway in her office

Gertrude D. “Trudy” Conway, Ph.D. August 12, 1950 – July 30, 2021 TRUDY CONWAY, PH.D., PROFESSOR EMERITA, died Friday, July 30, 2021, at home surrounded by her loved ones after an extended illness. She was 70 years old.

The much loved and widely accomplished professor of philosophy began her career at the Mount in 1979, when she returned to the United States with her husband Abdolreza “Huschang” Banan from Iran where she and Dr. Banan had been teaching at Shiraz University.

Conway loved teaching, learning and giving. She approached each day with a kind of joie de vivre that drew students and faculty to her. Ever the curious deep thinker with a penetrating intelligence, she graduated from The Mary Louis Academy in Queens with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood (1968), and continued on to The College of New Rochelle for her bachelor’s degree (1972). She earned her doctorate in philosophy from Fordham University.

Students present Dr. Conway with flowers upon her retirement

She savored the challenge and reward of academic life, immersing herself in numerous research areas including cross-cultural dialogue and restorative justice. Her body of scholarly work is a testament to her intellect and work ethic and an enduring contribution to the academic community. She published two of her own books, Wittgenstein on Foundations (1989) and Cross-Cultural Dialogue on the Virtues: The Contribution of Fethullah Gülen (2014), and edited two more, Where Justice and Mercy Meet: Catholic Opposition to the Death Penalty (2013) and Redemption and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Restorative Justice (2017) with David M. McCarthy, Ph.D., and Vicki Schieber, Ph.D. In addition to the decades she spent in the classroom, mentoring students and faculty alike, Conway found time to write several books and multiple scholarly articles, serve as associate dean of the college, begin the University Honors Program and initiate a study abroad program that would become the model for the Mount's current international studies program.

Conway chaired the Department of Philosophy from 1999-2005, was the inaugural holder of the Delaplaine Professorship and held another endowed chair, the Msgr. Klein Chair of Philosophy, for many years. Conway was also instrumental in establishing a chapter of the Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society at the Mount, and served as its advisor until her retirement in 2015. Her work with students at the Mount to end the death penalty in Maryland was legendary and most effective.

Trudy Conway with Philosophy Department

4 0

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

Trudy’s love for experiencing other cultures was evident in her travels, teaching, home and community life. She was married for 44 years to Dr. Abdolreza Banan, and together they raised their children, Sedira and Daniel, in a bi-cultural, bi-religious home, in which they embraced the virtues of hospitality, tolerance and generosity.

Stephen Schwing, C'92, in Austria where he studied abroad

Stephen Schwing, C'92, with one of the many "Conway Killers" he caught at Conway's house

In Remembrance

of Gertrude D. “Trudy”Conway, Ph.D.

By Stephen Schwing, C’92 I WAS BLESSED TO BE MENTORED BY TRUDY CONWAY during my time at the Mount. She was a joyful Christian who took our mission of loving God and saving souls seriously. A person of her intellect, professionalism and charm could teach anywhere and fortunately for us she knew how special the Mount is and dedicated her career to us. Her joy came from knowing the truth that Jesus saved us so that we can live in paradise with him forever. She saw God in every one of us and was determined to make sure seeds were planted in us so that the Spirit would finish the work. When I look back on my time with her, I think Matthew 10:16 describes her best: “Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

I met Dr. Trudy my first week at the Mount. Our first assignment was to write about something we love doing. The next day after turning it in she began our class reading my story about catching a bass. She told me that Dr. Craft caught a big one in her pond and I was welcome to fish there any time, after all nobody ever fishes it any way. I thought GOLD MINE. After class I asked her where she lived. She said in Orrtanna. I rushed back to my dorm, grabbed my fishing gear and as I was walking out of the dorm Charlie Horning asked where I was going fishing. I said: “I just got intel on a farm pond that no one fishes.

Grab your stuff!”

From the onset we were catching bass every cast. Charlie left one of his fish on line in the water as he was lighting a cigarette. All of a sudden there was a huge explosion on the line. A monster bass had eaten the smaller one on the line. Then we started using smaller bass as bait and live lining them. We caught huge world-class bass that day and at many more outings to the pond. It was a treat of a lifetime and Dr. Trudy loved seeing us there. To this day we call huge bass “Conway Killers.”

On one trip I had the pleasure of meeting her husband and children. She told me Dr. Banan was from Iran and they lived there for many years teaching. When I heard he was from Iran, I thought about how he’s from an enemy country. As I got to know her and Dr. Banan, I wondered how he could be an enemy as he was so kind and friendly. It was the first time in my life I was able to critically question propaganda. It was an important lesson I learned from her lifestyle, something I probably would not have learned until far later in life.

Toward the end of my second semester, I told Dr. Trudy I was going to transfer because my classes were not challenging enough, and I needed to go to a better college. She told me not to leave because she created a new Honors Program she wanted me to join. Most importantly, she said it would be a mistake to leave the Mount. Little did I know at the time, but she was spot on. She spoke to me in the way that my mother would when things got serious. When I told her I would stay, she lit up and gave me a hug. I never had a teacher care so much about me and in a loving manner. The Honors Program was challenging and it stretched me. The program was special in that it treated us like important people destined for something great. Dr. Trudy was full of surprises like guest speakers, outings and dinners at the Carriage House.

We studied Aristotle who taught us that you get to control the quality of your life and the qualities you choose to possess.

Socrates taught us to think for ourselves and do not accept what tradition and authority tell us. Plato taught us that happiness was the highest aim of moral thought and the only way to achieve it was from the practice of virtue.

Toward the end of my sophomore year, I told her I needed FALL 2021 CLASS NOTES

41

Stephen's biggest catch

the Mount is my home. I walked into a party that evening and I met one of the most beautiful girls I ever saw. Laura and I have been happily married for 22 years. Dr. Trudy was disappointed for me in that I had to cut the year short, but she was so happy to see me. I told her I wasn’t sure if I could catch up in the Honors classes and maybe I should sit the semester out of Honors. She said, “No way. You can do it and I will take care of you if you get in trouble.” At the end of that semester, we had to line up our senior Honors project and pick a mentor. I was an economics major and a competitive snowboarder. With the help of my mentor Dr. Stanton, we came up with an idea of putting an economic value on preserving Ski College Mountain. I had Dr. Stanton for other classes and he was tough as nails, but smart. We had a lot of tough meetings. I got burned out, but he and Dr. Trudy pushed me through and I got an A on it.

Dr. Trudy arranged a few nice outings and dinners to celebrate our successful completion of her program. She had special medals and honors for us at graduation that we did not know about. She was so thrilled and proud of our accomplishments.

The satisfaction on her face was overwhelming. It was very special and made my parents so proud.

Those four years studying under her guidance would prove to be the foundation of the incredible life I have lived thus far. Dr. Trudy had a special gift in that she had visions of where her students could go and how to prepare them for that journey. That is why she worked so hard to keep me at the Mount. First and foremost, I met my wife at the Mount. She is an amazing mother and she teaches first grade in a Catholic school. The guy I met on my way to Dr. Trudy’s pond, he and I have won more than $3 million in fishing tournaments. We have caught some of the biggest fish you can imagine. I still maintain great relationships with many of my fellow Mounties. I have helped build large technology companies, and I have been in business for myself for more than 20 years.

something more, and I wanted to transfer. She told me to study abroad. I studied in Austria where there was plenty of mountain biking and snowboarding. It was an adventure of a lifetime and I learned so much about a different culture, which was a love of hers. My year abroad was ended in the second semester as the Gulf War started. Before leaving, I experienced other worldviews and opinions of the U.S. The information I was getting from Europeans was completely different than what I was receiving from America. It was really eye opening and uncomfortable being in a foreign country whose people did not like our status as world police.

Once again Dr. Trudy’s guidance taught me something I would have never gotten had I left the Mount.

I arrived back to the Mount mid-semester and my friends and teachers were very happy to see me. It was then I realized

4 2

CLASS NOTES FALL 2021

Last year I got back in touch with Dr. Trudy and we had some great conversations. She was thrilled to hear about my endeavors and very happy that I was still in pursuit of my passion for fishing. Dr. Trudy was the fisherperson. She got me on the hook and every time I tried to get away she would lighten up on the drag and let me run—but she always kept the line tight and finessed it so I would not get away. It wasn’t until she taught me the real skills of life that she would release me. The reason for releasing a fish is so it can grow larger and live more abundantly. I did not get a chance to give her the good news that my son is a freshman at the Mount, and he is enrolled in the Honor's Program. He is an accomplished nationally ranked mountain biker. We have spent a good deal of time this summer working with Bob Brennan, C’85, and Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D., to set up the new mountain bike team that will compete at the highest collegiate level this semester. In spending time with them, I can see that Dr. Trudy had her influence on them as they have taken a loving mentoring approach toward Ian. God has blessed us all so much with our Mount family. Is it any wonder why hundreds of thousands of people make pilgrimages to this most holy mountain every year?

Live Significantly Join the 1808 Legacy Society

Mary Camille Brown, C'83, and her husband Joe Bardi

Caption

MOST ESTATE PLANNING coincides with major life events. Some create plans when getting married, while others are prompted by personal illness or the death of a loved one. For Mary Camille (Schantz) Brown, C’83, estate planning adventures began with a joyous milestone—the 2006 birth of her daughter, Amelia.

Like many expectant and new parents, Camille reflected and planned as she prepared for the arrival of her daughter. As she and her husband, Joe, began to set forth all the necessary information to establish a guardian for their daughter, Camille started to consider all the other things to take care of when she passed.

While working with her attorney, Camille began to think about an enduring charitable component to the plan. The Mount was an easy choice! With more than 200 years to its credit it was the right place to leave a legacy.

Camille’s daughter was not only the impetus for creating the estate plan, but is also the inspiration for how Camille’s gift will be used. Through her plans, Camille will establish a scholarship in her daughter’s name. Mount staff will work with Camille during her lifetime to ensure that the vision she has for the scholarship is understood and properly documented in order to meet her vision.

Return visits to the Mount have changed for Camille. For many years she visited campus and attended reunions without her family. Weekends spent reminiscing of days gone by would be overwhelming for her husband and daughter. On her most recent return, she changed her thinking. Wanting her family to experience a bit of the Mount, they accompanied her in 2018. It was a great decision. Camille is hopeful that the next visit they will be bringing their daughter to new student orientation.

“Let’s just say when you say “Mount” I smile. Even when I try to imagine difficult moments I end up smiling because I got so much more from those times than the temporary grief.” By establishing a scholarship in her estate plans, Camille is one of those who will help ensure future Mounties smile when they speak of their time on the mountain.

To help you make your plans, consider using FreeWill, a free and easy to use self-guided software that can help you begin the conversation with your estate professional. Visit freewill.com/msmary.

If you have already named Mount St. Mary’s University, Seminary or National Shrine Grotto in your estate plans, we hope you will let us know so that we may thank you!

If you would like more information about how to leave the Mount in your plans, please let us know.

Amelia visiting campus in 2018

Caption

Amelia finding her brick on campus in 2013

Learn more Office of Development 301-447-5916 development@msmary.edu

This information has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Please consult your legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.

FALL 2021 MOUNT MAGAZINE

43

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

GETTYSBURG, PA PERMIT NO. 28

16300 OLD EMMITSBURG ROAD EMMITSBURG, MD 21727

SLATE ID

Show Your Mount Spirit!

Save the Date for Winter Homecoming January 29, 2022

Register online now at msmary.edu/homecoming

Hall of Fame Brunch & Induction of the Newest Athletic Hall of Fame Class Men's and Women's Basketball Games Alumni Social